


hell or high water

by MissAvery



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Amnesia, Background Rose/Kaydel - Freeform, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Deal with a Devil, Demon Hunters, Demons, Eventual Smut, Exorcisms, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Ghosts, Human Vessels, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Canonical Character Death, Mentions of other supernatural creatures, Mutual Pining, No Pregnancy, Road Trips, Scars, background finn/poe - Freeform, foster kid Rey, mentions of guns and weapons, non-con demonic possesion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:55:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27314422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissAvery/pseuds/MissAvery
Summary: Assessing the depth as sufficient, Ben put the shovel down, came out of the pit and brushed the dirt off his hands, then headed for the car.He did it far too often - grave digging became an unpleasant duty, which made him reflect less and less about the lost life of the deceased. However, the fate of this girl was not entirely indifferent to him; she was young, had so much life ahead of her, and Bazine had to take it away.Pressing his lips into a narrow line, he reached for the rear passenger door and was surprised to discover that it was slightly ajar. He looked in the backseat in horror, and when he saw that the girl's body wasn’t there, he only had one heartbeat to react.Ben jumped back at the last moment when the not-so-dead girl swung his shovel in an attempt to knock him out."Who the fuck are you and what were you just trying to do?!"____Ben is a demon hunter with a personal vendetta. After mission gone wrong, he meets Rey, a girl suffering from amnesia caused by demonic possession. They join forces, trying to get their revenge.[demon hunters au]
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	hell or high water

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my very first Reylo fic and I'm so excited! I was planning on posting it earlier in October, but some things (called violations of human rights) came up. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this!  
> It's not a dark fic, but it contains some dark themes (guns, weapons, talking about killing demons in human forms etc.), so mind the tags.  
> If you think it needs any other tag, feel free to tell me!  
> And many thanks to my friends for taking care of this as betas.

Being on campus, surrounded by drunken students celebrating their graduation, was a way worse experience for Ben Solo than facing demons.

He knew how to deal with supernatural beings - holy water and the knife Rose gave him usually did the trick. Being around the youth was not his forte, and complaining mentally about the passing members of the fraternity made Ben look exactly how he felt. Like a bitter grump that would like to be anywhere but here.

Mustafar, located on the west coast of the country, was famous for its great university attended by the elite. The daughters and sons of the most influential people treated this place as a stop on their way to the bright future they thought they deserved. The privileged kids did not know the concept of consequences, and they celebrated the beginning of the holiday with hectoliters of alcohol and colored drugs of undesirable origin. Ben's watchful eye, as he wandered slowly to one of the bars at the end of the street, could tell that out of the two young boys he was passing by, one of them was definitely a dealer.

Ignoring the transaction, Solo looked up to see the bar sign he was searching for, looming in the distance. He paused in mid-step, remembering his plan of action, and once again checked the pockets of his black leather jacket for the items he might need.

The crowd gathered in front of  _ Empire _ paid little attention to someone who, at first glance, did not fit in with the surroundings. Ben mentally rebuked himself for being too unprepared in this matter and hoped that the alcohol would prevent the students from showing him too much attention. He couldn't waste any time following this trail. As soon as Rose told him of the demon's presence in Mustafar, Ben knew who it was. 

He'd tracked her for years and she eluded him every time. Five years ago, he saw her for the last time and he promised himself that he would be the one who would destroy her eventually. He realized that she could now use another human's body, so he had to be vigilant if he didn't want to be exposed by her. 

Ordinary people had no idea about the presence of supernatural beings. The more sensitive ones believed in ghosts, the children were afraid of the monsters under the bed, and the spiritualist sessions attracted customers by playing on their emotions and not having much to do with facts. Vampires and werewolves reigned supreme in pop-culture, and demons were owned by the church in an attempt to put clergy in the position of humanity's defenders. Only a few had the misfortune to meet real monsters on their way, and Ben Solo was one of those people. 

If history had turned out differently, perhaps he would have been one of those influencers who graduated from a university similar to Mustafar. Or maybe he would have just run a car repair shop with his father in Chandrilia. However, fate had not given him a choice, so Ben walked confidently now, with crime in mind. 

The door to  _ Empire _ swung open and a group of laughing girls burst out. Ben took advantage of the confusion at the entrance and went inside, staying vigilant and discreetly looking around. The crowd did not help him find who he was looking for. He had no idea whose body the demon now inhabited, but he knew her tastes and searched the room for someone who would satisfy her vanity.

He couldn't stay long in one place, otherwise sooner or later he would attract attention, so he walked towards the bar and took a seat on one of the high stools. The bartenders' attention was focused on beautiful female students ordering expensive drinks, so while waiting for his turn, Ben was able to look more around.

The noise of the overcrowded bar only seemed to make his task difficult. People gathered in groups at tables, pool tables or on the dance floor paid no attention to a lonely man sitting at the bar. Busy with each other, they celebrated without realizing that at least two people in the bar had evil intentions.

The red-haired student rocking on the dance floor caught his attention, mainly because a group of men danced around her, devouring her with their eyes. One additional pair shouldn't make a difference.

The bartender showed up by Ben a few moments later when a group of friends joined the redhead. Watching them from afar, he doubted more and more that the girl was who he was looking for. He ordered whiskey neat and focused on another part of the bar.

The demon was here for a specific purpose - she wanted to find human vessels for monsters like herself. Young organisms full of life, capable of carrying creatures straight from hell. The future leaders of the country, with names perfectly fit to achieve chaos on Earth, and thus create an ideal base for the arrival of even more demons.

However, she did not act alone. She was working for a man Ben was actually looking for.

“Another beer for the lady near the pool table. She's beating us all equally, ” said the young man who had come to the bar a moment ago. 

The hunter's gaze automatically went to the corner of the room where the pool tables were standing.

And there she stood, leaning against one of them. 

A slender brunette with long legs, wearing cut shorts and a red top, turned a stick in her hands and charmed the men around, who were watching her play. Judging by their expressions, she was winning.

A hunch told Ben to follow this lead, so he didn't wait too long. He finished his drink and headed for the pool tables, mentally preparing for a confrontation.

"Care if I join you?" he asked when he was right behind her back.

As she turned to face him, he saw freckles on her face and hazel eyes full of flirty spark. 

His suggestion was clearly disliked by the other men, but Ben didn't care. And apparently, she did not too.

“There’s always room for more,” she replied cheerfully, and when Solo saw nothing suspicious about her demeanor, he wondered for a moment whether his hunch was right.

But a moment later, when the brunette leaned over the table to continue the game, he saw a sign that convinced him he was right.

For a brief second, her hazel eyes turned completely black and Ben knew he was dealing with a demon.

A demon that knew it was trapped.

He watched her carefully, making no sudden movements; after all, he could not give her the final blow in front of all these witnesses. So he watched as she skillfully pretended she missed her shot - her sparkling laughter spread around her, and several men echoed her in that intensified amusement.

Solo knew, however, that in her mind the demon was playing against time, looking for a way out of this situation for herself.

“My luck is out or I just drank a little too much. I'll go freshen up, wait for me, ” she winked at one of the men and, not looking back, walked towards the toilets. 

Ben sensed that this was his only moment to react.

He waited a few seconds and followed her, noticing that instead of going to the bathroom, she had turned towards the back room. He quickened his pace, not wanting to lose sight of her. Only by a miracle no one noticed him and the hunter finally found himself outside the back door of the pub. Knowing that the demon had just disappeared behind them, he pushed them without hesitating.

She was already running away in this body which clearly was too valuable for her to abandon.

She was fast, but he was faster.

They were still in the narrow, deserted street. He caught up with her and grabbed her arm, turning to face him. 

"It's rude to run away without paying the bill."

“They were paying, I drank for free. You people are so naive. "

She refused to give up and tried to break free from his grip, tugging hard and baring her teeth in anger.

“Don't run away, Bazine. I promised you that I would take good care of you when we meet again. "

Taking advantage of the lack of distance, the demon tried to kick him between his legs, but Ben blocked her blow, pushing hard against her body. She landed on one of the garbage cans, making some noise.

However, she did not fall. Instead, she smirked and looked straight at him.

“Don't make empty promises. We both know you don’t have what it takes. "

“Where did you find the body you're in? When it's over I would like to know whose grave I am digging. "

"She was a nobody, just like your father."

The words about his father upset him more than he had expected. He reached into his jacket pocket, drawing a knife with a curved blade.

"You're gonna stick me with this thing?" she laughed aloud, but in her already black eyes he saw panic.

Ben took a step forward.

“You and every other demon I meet. And I'll save Snoke for the end. "

The mocking smile vanished from her face, replaced by a scowl.

“You'll never make it. You're too weak, Ben Solo. "

"Try me."

Two things happened simultaneously.

A hunter took a step forward, swinging the knife at the same moment that the woman's mouth suddenly opened wide, blowing black smoke swiftly outward.

Bazine left her body, changing into her demonic form. Furious, Ben could not forgive himself for not reacting even a few seconds earlier. He watched the smoke consolidate and disappear at the speed of light. The demon escaped him once again.

And he was even more fucked up, as a problem in the form of a dead girl laid at his feet. 

***

Though he had been the sole owner of the Millennium Falcon for years, he still mentally referred to it as his father's car. If Han had known that instead of girlfriends he was placing dead bodies in the back seat, he would have laughed at him.

While still at the back of  _ Empire _ , Ben checked the girl's pulse, and when he did not feel it, he knew that he had to act quickly. Making sure he wasn't being followed, he moved the body to the car and wrote a message to Rose.

**Ben**

Bazine escaped.

**Rose**

Are you alright? Do you need help?

**Ben**

It's all right. Except for the body of a dead girl Bazine made herself a vessel of. I didn't find any documents on her, I don't know who she was.

**Rose**

You know you can't start asking around for her right now.

**Ben**

I know. I've already checked for the nearest forest. I hate this part so much.

**Rose**

I know and I’m so sorry! Is there anything I could do to help you?

**Ben**

Just stay safe and spread the word about Bazine.

**Rose**

Consider it done. Take care and call me later!

Ben put the phone back in the front seat, turned his head and looked at the dead girl's face. He had been working on himself for a long time, and it seemed to him that he could control the remorse that consumed him every time he had to shed a body after defeating the demon inside. The vessels were never strong enough to survive a possession.

He shook his head, trying to break free from his thoughts.

He started the engine and drove towards the woods. 

***

Assessing the depth as sufficient, Ben put the shovel down, came out of the pit and brushed the dirt off his hands, then headed for the car. 

He did it far too often - grave digging became an unpleasant duty which made him reflect less and less about the lost life of the deceased. However, the fate of this girl was not entirely indifferent to him; she was young, had so much life ahead of her, and Bazine had to take it away.

Pressing his lips into a narrow line, he reached for the rear passenger door and was surprised to discover that it was slightly ajar. He looked in the backseat in horror, and when he saw that the girl's body wasn’t there, he only had one heartbeat to react.

Ben jumped back at the last moment when the not-so-dead girl swung his shovel in an attempt to knock him out.

"Who the fuck are you and what were you just trying to do?!"

***

Ben was not much less scared than she was - he had walked this earth for thirty years and had only seen something like this once. He only knew one person who had survived the demonic possession.

"Wait! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was sure you were dead! "

"That's not very comforting," her accent was quite different now. 

"No, that's not what I mean ... I checked your pulse and didn't feel it ..."

"So, instead of calling an ambulance, you decided to bury me in the woods?!" she mocked indignantly, tightening her hands on the shovel.

Ben took a step back.

“I couldn't… I'm not… I…” It was too much of a challenge to collect his thoughts and form a meaningful sentence. “I'm a demon hunter. You were possessed by one, she used your body as a vessel, and when she left it, I was sure you were dead. Nobody survives things like that."

"I must be damn special."

“Yes! Yes, you are… I mean… ” he pursed his lips, not wanting to embarrass himself more “What's your name, where are you from? I can drive you home, I will answer all your questions on the way. "

The girl looked at him suspiciously. He could still see the fear in her eyes, and he wanted to do everything so she wouldn't be afraid of him.

"Yeah sure, a roadtrip with a stranger who just tried to bury me alive is a great idea."

"Okay, you're right. My name is Ben Solo, as I said, I am a demon hunter because demons, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and other creatures that you may have read about in the books exist. We are near Mustafar where the demon occupying your body has been looking for vessels for other demons to possess. If you don't want me to drive you home, I get it. I will give you all the money you need to go back alone ... "

For a moment, her terror turned to sadness.

"I have nowhere to go back to," she continued to study him closely, judging if he was telling the truth.

"Then how about dinner?"

*** 

The Rolling Stones' greatest hits were being played in the background of a roadside bar where Ben and the girl had gone.

_ Rey. _

Her name was Rey and she finally agreed to accompany him, though she continued to be alert and he could see it in every little gesture she made. She watched him all the way while trying to read every sign on the road as they passed. He didn't blame her for it, he understood her fear and constantly tried to convince her by word and deed to trust him. He hadn't expected food to play such a big part in this.

"How did you know Bazine would be right here?" Rey asked, devouring a huge burger with an appetite Ben had never seen before.

"My friend Rose managed to track her down."

"Why on campus in Mustafar, what was she looking for here?"

“Well, relatively young bodies work best for vessels. Bazine and Snoke are preparing an army of demons to control people who will influence the fate of this country. Unfortunately, impersonating the kids of rich parents makes sense for the future," Ben reached for a fry, but before putting it in his mouth, he asked," What were  _ you _ doing there? Were you a student?"

"No, I ... I don't think so. I don't know, " he saw Rey struggling with herself and wanting to confide in him about something that had been biting her for a while. "Can I ask you a weird question?

"Sure, shoot."

"What year is it?"

He straightened himself in his chair, eyeing her carefully.

"2019 ... Why?"

He saw her fists clench.

"I thought so."

“Why did you ask that? You can tell me"

She took a deep breath before answering.

"The last moment of my life that I remember is my escape from foster home when I was still underage," she lowered her head, ashamed to meet his eyes. "It appears it was four years ago."

"What? You mean the demon has been in your body for so long? "

"Is it possible?"

"No, I've never heard of anything like this," he replied too quickly, forgetting any sensitivity to her situation, "Rey, does that mean you remember absolutely nothing from the period when Bazine ..."

She didn't let him finish.

“I don't remember anything, my head is completely blank. I don't know how she got here, I don't know what she was doing with my body and who she was dealing with. The very thought makes me sick. "

He gave her a worried look, but before he could say anything, she preceded him.

"Don't you even dare say you're sorry," she snapped, "There's only one thing you can do to make me feel better."

He looked at her curiously.

"And what is it?"

"Take me with you so I can face her."

It was the last answer he expected. Amazed, he didn't say anything for a moment, but he looked at Rey, and she met his eyes with confidence. As if she was convinced she knew what she was really asking for.

"I'm not sure it's a good ..."

"You tried to bury me alive!" she said a little too loud and several faces looked in their direction.

"You owe me," she added more quietly but without losing her verve.

“I know, but what you are asking for is fucking dangerous. This is not an ordinary road trip and meeting with friends. They're demons, damn it. "

Rey took a deep breath, and Ben knew she would not let go.

“I don't know why you became a hunter or why you are still one, but looking at you I suspect there is a sad, dramatic story behind it. And that tracking Snoke is not only your duty, but also your private revenge. If you deserve it, why do you want to deny me mine? "

She was fierce and unapologetic, he had to give her that.

She interpreted his silence correctly.

"When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you finish eating."

"Where are we going?"

"To Takodana."

Rey grabbed the rest of her burger and finished it with a bite, then wiped her hands and announced that she was ready to go. They paid the bill and headed to the car. They got in, and this time the girl was less suspicious.

"Back to your debt ... I have absolutely nothing with me except a few dollars in my pocket."

“I've got some working phones in my trunk, I'll give you one. We'll do some shopping in the morning. There should be some change in the glove box, check it out, but before opening you have to ... "

But Rey didn't wait for his next words. She leaned forward and pressed the glove box down before trying to open it.

"How did you know it's the way to open it?"

She shrugged and reached for the money she found there.

“Should be enough for new clothes,” she decided.

Ben stared at her for a moment longer, but finally he started the engine and, under cover of night, they set off in search of demons, both driven by revenge.

Subconsciously, he knew it couldn't end well.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on Twitter, I'm [@spiritusmovensx](https://twitter.com/spiritusmovensx)!


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